Were you working your shift at Pizza Hut when you suffered a serious injury? If so, you may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Most employers in the United States are required to have workers’ compensation coverage for their employees at no additional charge. This is a special insurance that includes medical benefits coverage and that reimburses for a portion of lost wages while the worker is unable to work because of the work-related injury or illness. Because of the complexity of a workers’ compensation claim, you should consult with a workers’ compensation attorney. An attorney will handle the entire claims process for you. Company Profile: Pizza Hut Pizza Hut, the popular American restaurant chain that has an international franchise, is known for Italian-American cuisine. It offers pizza, pasta, salad, side dishes and desserts. Founded in June 1958 in Wichita, Kansas it is now headquartered in Plano, Texas. The chain has stores located throughout more than 80 countries. With more than 160,000 employees, the parent company of Pizza Hut is Yum! Brands. The company underwent a rebrand that started on November 19, 2014 as an effort to increase sales that had dropped during the previous two years. The rebranding included a menu expansion with crusts flavors and 11 new specialty pizzas. Were You Hurt While at Work? If you work at Pizza Hut, here are some example hypothetical ways that you could be injured on-the-job: You were preparing food during your shift in the kitchen when you suffered second-degree burns on your hands. Burns are very painful, and you may have to be transported to a burn center for treatment. It can require ongoing care and you may even need skin grafts. You may be out of work for quite some time. If you were stocking the store room and you suffered a slip-and-fall that resulted in a broken tail bone, you may find yourself unable to work for a few weeks as you recover. Workers’ comp may help you recoup medical costs and lost wages. Did you hurt your back when you were lifting a box of stock for your store location to use? Back injuries can be painful and keep you down for a while. Worker’s compensation may be able to help you. If you are hurt at work, you should notify your supervisor so an accident report can be completed. You should then get medical care as quickly as possible. How To File A Workers’ Compensation Claim Against Your Employer If you have been the victim of a workplace accident, you have suffered various damages and injuries. Employers are required to maintain workers’ compensation insurance to protect themselves and their employees in the event of a workplace accident or occupational illness. While state laws do vary regarding workers’ compensation, the coverage is rather consistent. If you have been hurt while on the job, you will need to be attentive and gather supporting evidence and documentation. If you have suffered injuries while working, you will need to pursue a workers’ compensation claim, and for your claim to succeed, you will need to gather evidence that supports your claim and shows your injuries were a direct result of a workplace accident. You will need to file a claim with your employer or with the state workers’ compensation commission, depending on state laws. But to get your claim ready there are some procedures or protocol that must be followed so you can make sure that you have a strong foundation and the evidence that you need for a successful claim. • You should notify your employer of the accident as quickly as possible. While the deadline to make this notification does vary, it ranges from a matter of 3 or 4 days to a year in most states. • You should establish medical care right away. Some injuries are worse than they appear, and if you don’t get treatment as quickly as possible it may be hard to show that your injuries were directly caused by the accident on the job. In most states, employers can choose which medical providers you see, and they should have a list of in-network workers’ compensation healthcare providers. • You should jot down notes about your incident while it is fresh in your memory. You will need to give a detailed statement to your supervisor or employer detailing what happened, how it happened, and the extent of your injuries. Your employer is required to complete an accident report. • Keep copies of medical bills, medical records, and medical excuses. You will need to make sure you keep your employer informed about your work status and provide medical excuses as quickly as possible. • Keep track of missed work and lost wages. • File your claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Familiarize yourself with the state laws regarding the claims process. Often there are legitimate claims that are denied or there are situations in which benefits are suddenly stopped. In that case, you will need to file an appeal and provide the supporting evidence or documentation that is needed to get your claim back on the right track. The claims process can be challenging, and a workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to build a strong claim and work to get you the benefits that you are entitled after being hurt while on the job at Pizza Hut. As an example, you were working in the kitchen slicing vegetables for salad when you suffered a deep cut that went through the muscle and tendon in your hand. This is a serious injury that requires extensive ongoing care from a specialist. The injury is so severe, you will have permanent scarring and disfigurement, require extensive surgery and physical therapy, and be unable to work for months. Workers’ compensation can help you during this time, covering two-thirds of your lost wages and taking care of your medical expenses. If you are unable to return to the same job, workers’ compensation may also help with your vocational retraining. How Is Workers’ Compensation Calculated? When you are working to settle your workers’ compensation claim, there are several things that will be taken into consideration. They will add up your losses and do some calculations to determine the overall value of your claim after an injury while working at Pizza Hut. Here is how they will determine a fair value of your workers’ compensation claim. They will look at the total of your medical expenses and the need for future medical care. They will also look at your lost wages and any future loss of earnings. Those will all be added up together to come up with a total. They will take your average weekly wage and multiple it by 52 to determine your annual earnings. Workers’ compensation pays two-thirds of your lost wages. So, as an example, you earn $550 per week. Multiply that by 52 and you earn $28,600 per year. If you are out of work for a whole year, you would receive two-thirds of that total, which is $19,066.67. Your medical expenses will be added to those lost earnings. If your medical care – past and future – add up to $50,000 then you would want to ask for $69,066 to cover your Pizza Hut workers’ compensation claim. Don’t ask for too much money, and don’t expect to get more than you are entitled to receive for your losses. Workers’ compensation doesn’t pay pain and suffering, mental anguish, or the damages that you would receive through a personal injury claim. Workers’ compensation is very specific and detailed in what is covered and what is paid out. If you file a claim that asks for more compensation that you are entitled to receive, your employer’s insurer could ask for a trial. If your claim goes to court and a judge or a jury determines the fate and sets your settlement amount, you could end up getting much less than you would have been entitled to receive because it looks as though you were being greedy and that you were trying to take a larger settlement than you were entitled to receive because of your workplace accident. A workers’ compensation lawyer will help you get your claim on track and will be able to determine the overall value of your claim and how much you should expect to recover through a Pizza Hut workers’ compensation settlement. Consult with an attorney as soon as you can about your claim. Consult with a Workers’ Compensation Attorney If you suffered an on-the-job injury at Pizza Hut, you should consult with a workers’ compensation attorney as quickly as possible. An attorney can help you throughout the claims process and will ensure you are treated fairly. Negotiating with an insurance adjuster can be an in-depth complicated process that is confusing. Don’t risk signing away your rights. Consult with an experienced professional who will fight for you and ensure you get the compensation you deserve. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Pizza Hut, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation. Additional Resources Hurt Working at Little Caesars
